Latin American countries and the Spanish Ministry of Education have launched an Initiative for the inclusion of Disable Students

In association with the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports of Spain (MEFPD), eight Latin American countries are uniting to introduce this initiative for the inclusion of children with disabilities. The projects will be received by the Ibero-American Intergovernmental Network for Cooperation on the Education of People with Special Educational Needs (RIINEE) to promote six new innovatory initiatives with inputs towards enhanced accessibility of education.

On 24 September 2024, the UNESCO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean launched a virtual ceremony to open submissions to projects that boost inclusion through educational and technological innovations. The call for proposals is part of the “Developing Inclusive Educational Systems” project, coordinated by the Spanish Ministry of Education as the executive secretariat of RIINEE, in association with AECID, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, and UNESCO.

In recognition of such efforts, this initiative will identify six projects from selected countries for implementing practices aimed at improving learning environments for all students. The selected projects shall receive mentorship and technical assistance for a period of six months plus an opportunity to attend the first RIINEE Regional Forum on Inclusive Education in 2025.

In a nutshell, this project is more oriented towards identifying and strengthening projects in Latin America using assistive technologies, artificial intelligence, and accessible educational material that can reduce barriers to learning and be able to open access to equitable education.

This initiative is of critical importance as, estimated, over 93 million children worldwide suffer from various types of disability. Access to high quality education thus continues to be one of the most significant challenges to be tackled globally,” said Esther Kuisch Laroche, director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean. “Reaching out to these marginalized groups can only be done through inclusive policies and programs. That is why UNESCO puts at the top of its agenda the recognition of such efforts that bring forward inclusive education in Latin America.”.

The call is open for educational institutions in the 19 countries that are part of RIINEE, including Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. Applications will be open until December 13, 2024, under three categories: Technology for Inclusion, Innovations in Inclusive Education and Application of Artificial Intelligence in Classrooms.